Actually, this is exactly where I am doing research. Having liquid lithium plasma facing surfaces does have some interesting advantages. For a neutron blanket it would be ok for the lithium not to be a plasma facing component (though the blanket wouldn't be protecting the actual plasma facing components from neutrons).
Flowing liquid lithium has a tremendous power handling capability. It also reduces recycling which could be an interesting shift from the high recycling H-mode plasmas that dominate the field. Ironically, attaining H-mode seems to rely on extensive condition of the plasma facing components...
TFTR's best fusion power results were from Lithium pellet supershots where lithium was important in conditioning the walls. Actually, we have obtained some really interesting results with liquid lithium limiters and evaporative coatings and (partially) as a result, NSTX is currently operating a lithium evaporator in the vessel to coat the walls.
Take a look for info on the TFTR Li supershots, CDX-U, and LTX to see more about coating the walls with Li.
Actually, as someone who works in the fusion community, it would help if there was more money to go around. ONE of the reasons fusion is always 20-40 years away is that the funding isn't where it needs to be in order for that to happen.
It's a tough nut to crack and more money for more projects and more jobs would help a good deal.
While the neutrons created in a D-T fusion reaction can and will activate the surrounding structure, the byproducts from fission have a much longer half life than the neutron activated structure of a fusion reactor. Think tens of years instead of thousands - all the sudden a much more manageable problem if we could get the damn things to work.
You are however correct that a lot of thought needs to go into how to correctly manage and extract the energy from the flux of neutrons in a fusion reactor.
I'm ignorant of Tore Supra's parameters, but discharge length can be extended by sacrificing other parameters of performance. The key is to get a long discharge with full plasma current (in the case of a tokamak), high electron and ion temperature, and good plasma density.
My dad got in a minor car accident a few years ago (not his fault). The insurance wanted to make sure he wouldn't sue, so they called him up and asked him to take a $500 settlement about it for "whiplash." He said, "No thanks," but they continued to badger him. Finally the agent asked him if he had a wife. He said yes, and the agent's response was, "Well, give the money to her, I'm sure she'll appreciate it."
Fast forward some. The check arrives, made out to my dad's name + "A married man". When he went to deposit it, the bank teller got confused, and was wondering how she should go about verifying that he was indeed married.
Seriously though, I've noticed more and more cashiers checking my signature after I buy something with CC. Which is funny, because my sig is so bad, I can't even read it.
I almost went to work on this satellite when I was picking grad schools. FUSE is run at Johns Hopkins University. I think it is the only satellite that is run by an American University. The control room and all is in the basement of the physics building...
I agree with you. However, most college kids I know don't do this. They just download music. I can't tell you how many of my friends havn't bought a CD in years; some don't even have stereos anymore, they just crank the computer speakers.
I think there might be an agreement between the two that new Nvidia products get "announced" for Apple hardware before they do on PC. Of course, essentially the only way to get Nvidia apple cards is to buy a new system, with a 6-8 week waiting period, whereas you can just go to the store and get a card for PC....
Haven't gotten nintendo thumb since the NES.
The Xbox controller is large. I must have the hands of a 12 year old then... ?
I have tried it, but it doesn't compare to the PS2's or the Gamecube's.
If you don't want a DVD player, and you want multiplayer, go with the GC.
Sports games will be out for all 3 systems. I hear Monkey Ball rules, and Super Smash Bros is awesome (and I don't like fighting games). Even my friend who trashed the GC cause he is an MS whore ("the GC controllers feel dinky - i like the xbox's more" etc.) simply said "WOW" when played/saw SSB.
I am not going to give a full review of each system; you should make the decision on your own. But if you want "a system to have fun with when I have a bunch of friends," that my friend is manufactured by nintendo. It might not have the best graphics/sound/whatever, but when it comes to stupid addictive multiplayer fun, nintendo knows what they are doing. Ever play mario kart?
Totally true. I didn't attack the PS2's diversity of titles (that was saved for the PS1). however, my point was that the strong points were everything but the games that were actually designed for the system.
GTA3 - no i haven't played the game. It does look entertaining. I was merely illustrating by my comment that the hype and reasonings behind it don't always agree with what I want.:) But it looks fun in the way of picking it up on a rainy day for an hour or two, but not addictive fun. I will hold complete judgement until i play it.
As stated, my big problem with the PS2 is that it has been out for a year, and yes there are plenty of games, but only a handful of good ones, and no MUST HAVES. Nintendo always seems to make the MUST HAVE games.
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, this is exactly where I am doing research. Having liquid lithium plasma facing surfaces does have some interesting advantages. For a neutron blanket it would be ok for the lithium not to be a plasma facing component (though the blanket wouldn't be protecting the actual plasma facing components from neutrons).
Flowing liquid lithium has a tremendous power handling capability. It also reduces recycling which could be an interesting shift from the high recycling H-mode plasmas that dominate the field. Ironically, attaining H-mode seems to rely on extensive condition of the plasma facing components...
TFTR's best fusion power results were from Lithium pellet supershots where lithium was important in conditioning the walls. Actually, we have obtained some really interesting results with liquid lithium limiters and evaporative coatings and (partially) as a result, NSTX is currently operating a lithium evaporator in the vessel to coat the walls.
Take a look for info on the TFTR Li supershots, CDX-U, and LTX to see more about coating the walls with Li.
Actually, as someone who works in the fusion community, it would help if there was more money to go around. ONE of the reasons fusion is always 20-40 years away is that the funding isn't where it needs to be in order for that to happen.
It's a tough nut to crack and more money for more projects and more jobs would help a good deal.
While the neutrons created in a D-T fusion reaction can and will activate the surrounding structure, the byproducts from fission have a much longer half life than the neutron activated structure of a fusion reactor. Think tens of years instead of thousands - all the sudden a much more manageable problem if we could get the damn things to work.
You are however correct that a lot of thought needs to go into how to correctly manage and extract the energy from the flux of neutrons in a fusion reactor.
I'm ignorant of Tore Supra's parameters, but discharge length can be extended by sacrificing other parameters of performance. The key is to get a long discharge with full plasma current (in the case of a tokamak), high electron and ion temperature, and good plasma density.
Yes, our funding has gotten cornholed quite a lot in the past couple years.
Make that the DOD.
My dad got in a minor car accident a few years ago (not his fault). The insurance wanted to make sure he wouldn't sue, so they called him up and asked him to take a $500 settlement about it for "whiplash." He said, "No thanks," but they continued to badger him. Finally the agent asked him if he had a wife. He said yes, and the agent's response was, "Well, give the money to her, I'm sure she'll appreciate it." Fast forward some. The check arrives, made out to my dad's name + "A married man". When he went to deposit it, the bank teller got confused, and was wondering how she should go about verifying that he was indeed married. Seriously though, I've noticed more and more cashiers checking my signature after I buy something with CC. Which is funny, because my sig is so bad, I can't even read it.
the Girl of Lawrence Berkley issue of Playboy?
now I can watch por^H^H^H WMV's on my cell phone?
We need new content on the smut sites.
now they are making even more money? They are probably selling more books than MouseDrivers.
I almost went to work on this satellite when I was picking grad schools. FUSE is run at Johns Hopkins University. I think it is the only satellite that is run by an American University. The control room and all is in the basement of the physics building...
I agree with you. However, most college kids I know don't do this. They just download music. I can't tell you how many of my friends havn't bought a CD in years; some don't even have stereos anymore, they just crank the computer speakers.
I think there might be an agreement between the two that new Nvidia products get "announced" for Apple hardware before they do on PC. Of course, essentially the only way to get Nvidia apple cards is to buy a new system, with a 6-8 week waiting period, whereas you can just go to the store and get a card for PC....
those are just problems with Windows....
The push is already coming - DVD Audio (not sure who developed that one) and SACD (Sony).
So can I server PHP/MySQL webpages with Apache on this camera?
My fingers are tingling....
I could just see myself buying one of these, and, forgetting that it was in my back pocket, sitting on it and breaking it with my fat ass.
Haven't gotten nintendo thumb since the NES. The Xbox controller is large. I must have the hands of a 12 year old then... ? I have tried it, but it doesn't compare to the PS2's or the Gamecube's.
If you don't want a DVD player, and you want multiplayer, go with the GC.
Sports games will be out for all 3 systems. I hear Monkey Ball rules, and Super Smash Bros is awesome (and I don't like fighting games). Even my friend who trashed the GC cause he is an MS whore ("the GC controllers feel dinky - i like the xbox's more" etc.) simply said "WOW" when played/saw SSB.
I am not going to give a full review of each system; you should make the decision on your own. But if you want "a system to have fun with when I have a bunch of friends," that my friend is manufactured by nintendo. It might not have the best graphics/sound/whatever, but when it comes to stupid addictive multiplayer fun, nintendo knows what they are doing. Ever play mario kart?
Hey, don't knock the girl with the bigger boobs...
I would imagine that since Apple makes most of its money off of its hardware, this would be shooting itself in the foot.
Exactly! I don't want to be a citizen of Microsoft, or Apple, Sun, Linux, or anything for that matter.
Totally true. I didn't attack the PS2's diversity of titles (that was saved for the PS1). however, my point was that the strong points were everything but the games that were actually designed for the system.
:) But it looks fun in the way of picking it up on a rainy day for an hour or two, but not addictive fun. I will hold complete judgement until i play it.
GTA3 - no i haven't played the game. It does look entertaining. I was merely illustrating by my comment that the hype and reasonings behind it don't always agree with what I want.
As stated, my big problem with the PS2 is that it has been out for a year, and yes there are plenty of games, but only a handful of good ones, and no MUST HAVES. Nintendo always seems to make the MUST HAVE games.